Hydro’s power

Gerry Hassan is unfair to Tom Johnston (Perspective, 17 November). His critique of Nationalism wasn’t far from that of Lewis Grassic Gibbon about the Glasgow slums in The Scottish Scene (1934).

Industry, innovation and training mattered most in conquering social collapse. Johnston used the chance of the Second World War, in which the Clyde was the junction of the Allies, to gain Highland hydro-power and anticipate the NHS, browbeating the Lithgows, Craigs and Bilslands to assist; drawing no salary for doing so.

He even thought up a scheme whereby he stayed in Scotland as Scottish Secretary, nominally in the Lords, while a puppet MP danced before the Commons.

Attlee was unconvinced, but I’m sure the equally heretical Tory Walter Elliot would have approved.

We have to clone these guys!

Scotland has 22 milliard ­annual coal-tonnes-equivalent sloshing about a coastline five times longer than that of Germany. We have prudent, industry-­minded, ecological European friends who need it.

Our political goals must enable us to ally with them as soon as possible. We can talk about the future of the Union by-and-by.